Euphorbia pulcherrima. 
The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Poinsettia plant, botanically known as Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd., and hereinafter referred to by the name xe2x80x98Eckalaricxe2x80x99.
The new Poinsettia a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Encinitas, Calif. The objective of the breeding program is to create new Poinsettia cultivars having flower bracts with desirable colors, uniform plant habit and excellent post-production longevity.
The new Poinsettia is a naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of a unnamed proprietary induced mutation, not patented, that originated by exposing unrooted cuttings of the Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd. cultivar Bright Red Freedom, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,572, to gamma radiation. The new Poinsettia was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single plant within a population of plants of the irradiated selection on or about Aug. 19, 1998, in a controlled environment in Encinitas, Calif.
Asexual reproduction of the new Poinsettia by terminal cuttings taken at Encinitas, Calif., since 1998, has shown that the unique features of this new Poinsettia are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.
The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of xe2x80x98Eckalaricxe2x80x99. These characteristics in combination distinguish xe2x80x98Eckalaricxe2x80x99 as a new and distinct cultivar:
1. Large inflorescences with pink-colored flower bracts.
2. Dark green-colored leaves.
3. Uniform and mounded plant habit.
4. Early flowering, natural season flower maturity date is November 20 for plants grown in Encinitas, Calif.; response time, about 8.5 weeks.
5. Good post-production longevity.
Plants of the new Poinsettia can be compared to plants of the cultivar Bright Red Freedom. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Encinitas, Calif., plants of the new Poinsettia differed primarily from plants of the cultivar Bright Red Freedom in flower bract color as plants of the cultivar Bright Red Freedom have red-colored flower bracts.
Plants of the new Poinsettia are most similar to plants of the cultivar 490 Pink, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 8,817. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Encinitas, Calif., plants of the new Poinsettia differed primarily from plants of the cultivar 490 Pink in the following characteristics:
1. Plants of the new Poinsettia were larger than plants of the cultivar 490 Pink.
2. Plants of the new Poinsettia had larger inflorescences than plants of the cultivar 490 Pink.
3. Flower bracts of the new Poinsettia were orientated more upright than flower bracts of the cultivar 490 Pink.
4. Flower bracts of the new Poinsettia had smooth surfaces whereas flower bracts of the cultivar 490 Pink had puckered surfaces.
5. Flower bract color of the new Poinsettia was brighter pink than flower bract color of plants of the cultivar 490 Pink.